All sin breaches our relationship with God, but we must never think that the Lord will refuse us if we humble ourselves and return to Him with true contrition.
He longs to take us back, and His willingness to forgive His children is infinite.
No matter where we are or what we have done, we can be confident that God will pardon us if we forsake our sin and turn to Christ alone for our pardon. That is the magnitude of His grace. That is the mercy of the God whom we serve in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you think of God’s grace and mercy alongside His justice?
- What is the key to the Lord taking us back?
Resources
Table Talk Magazine, Devotional from July 4th
Christianity Matters 
I don’t “get” God’s grace. I’ve grown up in a production oriented society and production oriented churches. I grew up with the Gospel of 3 times a week attendance and the evil of idle hands. So, grace didn’t make sense because I was conditioned to think I had to earn whatever I got. So grace and unconditional love is something I’m still struggling to grasp late into my 40’s.
On the other hand, everything I read points to Jesus’ death as a moment of unconditional grace. I can refuse it but I can’t earn it. I can sin and do my best not to ever sin again only to find myself sinning again. Did I get grace the first time but not the second? That’s not what I read. I am called to perfect living but God gave me the sacrifice of Jesus because perfect living isn’t required. Hoped for. Maybe expected. Not required.
I’m still struggling with grace. With love. With God and his ways. And with people and their ways. I assign people’s lack of love to God at times. I get it backwards. I do hope that I understand it better today than I did yesterday and, if God gives me another day, I’ll understand it better tomorrow than I do today.
Thanks for commenting. I appreciate your honesty as you are wrestling with God’s grace. It sounds like it has been a struggle to understand, especially given your church background, but it seems like God is working in your life to teach you about His grace. A book you might find helpful is The Transforming Power of the Gospel by Jerry Bridges. It talks about how we are sanctified by the gospel and God’s grace instead of by our own efforts. You can find a link to the Amazon page on my book recommendations page. It is the last book I have listed under the heading Christian Living.
Blessings,
Casey